AICAFMHA:
promoting mental health for young Australians
Australian Infant, Child, Adolescent and Family Mental Health Association Ltd
ABN 87 093 479 022

AICAFMHA News / What's On? / Mental Health News / Resources / Back to E-News index

AICAFMHA News

ATTENTION SA members (from MHCA):
The Adelaide Community Consultation has been re-scheduled for Friday 22 November 2002. There are no RSVP's required, and all are welcome to attend. The consultation details are as follows:
ADELIADE COMMUNITY CONSULTATION
Friday 22 November 2002, 10.30am - 12.30pm
South Australian Postgraduate Education Association (SAPMEA)
68 Greenhill Road, WAYVILLE SA 5034
Ph: (08) 8274 6060, Fax: (08) 8274 6000
Co-ordinator: Ms Rachael Kennedy, SA Mental Health Branch (08) 8226 6124.
Australian Rotary Health Research Fund Representative: Mr Ian Oliver
***** The Consultation will run in an informal manner - with a 10 minute introduction (background on 2nd Plan and consultation process), then a 10 minute presentation from a Rotary representative on the continuing commitment from Rotary to mental health, and then an open discussion about the positives, negatives, and ways forward for mental health care over the next reform period. *****

The new COPMI Project update is now online at http://www.aicafmha.net.au/copmi/updates/ .

** AICAFMHA members are reminded that closing for votes in the election for the directors position representing Queensland is Friday 29th November.

What?s On?

For SA participants:
CROSSROADS CONFERENCE
organised by COMIC (Children of Mentally Ill Consumers/parents)
to be held at the Glenelg Function Centre, Brighton Road, Glenelg
9.00am to 5.00pm, 18 February 2003
For enquiries please contact:
Paola and Nerrelle, Co-convenors
Email: comic.admin@bigpond.com
Website: http://www.angelfire.com/home/comic

Mental Health from an Indigenous Perspective Conference
11-13 December 2002
Greenmount Beach Resort Coolangatta
From 1ST October 2002 TO 10th December 2002 $550.00 + $55.00GST
Money received after 10th December 2002 $700.00 + $70.00GST
Late registration fees will be strictly enforced after 10th December 2002.
Download brochure.

Learning from Rural Partnerships for Mental Health and Wellbeing Scheme
The Rural Partnerships for Promoting Mental Health and Wellbeing Scheme arose from VicHealth's Mental Health Promotion Plan 1999-2002.
Seminar details:
Date: Tuesday 10 December 2002, Time: 1-4:00pm
Where: VicHealth - Ground floor, 15-31 Pelham St Carlton South 3053
Cost: Free - Registration is essential
For more information contact VicHealth on (03) 9667 1333

Preliminary announcement:
SUICIDE PREVENTION AUSTRALIA'S ANNUAL NATIONAL CONFERENCE
"Finding Meaning to Sustain Life; the place of spirituality in suicide prevention"
June 12th - 15th, 2003, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, SouthBank, Brisbane, Queensland.

The MHCA (Mental Health Council of Australia) has been contracted by the Mental Health & Special Programs Branch of the Commonwealth Department of Health & Ageing to undertake a review of the National Mental Health Strategy, specifically the 2nd National Mental Health Plan, in order to inform the development of a 3rd National Mental Health Plan.
Further information is available at http://www.mhca.com.au/pages/projects_consultation.html Note: second survey responses due 29th November 2002

Vol 1, Issue 3 of Auseinet's eJournal - The Australian e-Journal for the Advancement of Mental Health (AeJAMH) - is now available online at: http://www.auseinet.com/journal/

Parenting NSW Website Goes Live! The Parenting NSW website, developed by the NSW Parenting Centre in collaboration with Families First, was launched on 5th November 2002. Visit the parenting website at www.parenting.nsw.gov.au

Resources and Research

Adolescent Depression Common, but Reporting to Physicians Unlikely Although over one-third of adolescents report an episode of depression, less than 20% seek help for it, according to Dr. Stephanie A. Riolo, speaking here at the 49th annual meeting of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Reuters Health Information 2002 http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/443637?mpid=5721
&WebLogicSession=Pc2ZQKxz6SsjngUp3KT6yj1XIRStG8EJ3L
mwbxnaEt8NACybCxlS|7691849055366018709/184161z6SsjngUp3KT6yj1XIRSt
G8EJ3LmwbxnaEt8NACybCxlS|392/6/7001/7001/7002/7002/7001/-1

The third newsletter of the Building Strong Families: Insights from Research series, "The Influence of Parents on Children's Thoughts, Feelings, and Behaviors," is now available. SUMMARY: Parents play a central, but not exclusive, role in shaping the lives of their children and teenagers. Extensive research shows that parents are more influential in their children's lives than anyone else, shaping their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Yet parents are neither the only influences nor the only ones with responsibility. Peers, other adults, genetics, the media, and various other sources also play important roles. Ideally, all these influences can work together with parents to promote young people's healthy development. Go to http://www.search-institute.org/families/InfluenceofParents.pdf to view.

From ABC Health Updates:
ALL IN THE MIND- Disease Of The Split Soul: Schizophrenia In Japan Saturday, 16 November, 1pm
Radio National Japan has just officially renamed 'schizophrenia' after a 10 year campaign by families of people with mental illness to change it. It's a small step towards erasing the paralyzing stigma surrounding mental illness in Japanese society. But in a country that has the highest number of patients in psychiatric hospitals, and where more than 30,000 people commit suicide each year - is it just a drop in the ocean?
http://abc.net.au/rn/science/mind/s726169.htm

POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER AFTER CHILDBIRTH (New Dimensions: Health: 5/11/2002)
Childbirth is supposed to be one of life's most natural and normal events. But when things go wrong it can be terrifying and traumatic. New research from Griffith University in Queensland is showing a significant percentage of women could be clinically defined as having Post Traumatic Stress Disorder brought on by giving birth.
http://abc.net.au/dimensions/dimensions_health/Transcripts/s719425.htm

Articles of interest:
The Interplay of Nature, Nurture, and Developmental Influences: The Challenge Ahead for Mental Health Michael Rutter, MD, FRS
ARCHIVES OF GENERAL PSYCHIATRY
November 2002, Vol 59, No 11, pp 965-1072
Abstract: This article succinctly reviews research achievements in the fields of psychiatric genetics, psychosocial influences on mental disorder, and developmental processes.

School Effectiveness Findings 1979-2002
M. Rutter, B. Maughan
Journal of School Psychology, Volume : 40, Issue: 6, Nov-2002; pp 451-475
Abstract: The London studies of school effectiveness in the 1970s provided evidence that the qualities of schools made a significant difference to pupil progress, after taking account of the characteristics and backgrounds of the pupils at the time of school entry.

In the news (from "Melissa Corkum" [mcorkum@vichealth.vic.gov.au])
ALARM OVER CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH
Professor Fiona Stanley, an adviser to the Prime Minister has warned that health and behavioural problems among children have reached frightening levels. She said that a national campaign is needed to avert a looming crisis. Prof Stanley said that rates of childhood crime, neglect, sex abuse, mental health disorders, drug abuse, obesity, type 1 diabetes and teen suicide have worsened since 1970. She suggests that the trends have plunged health and education services into crisis and threaten the nation's future prosperity. Many of the childhood disorders can continue into adulthood.
Age Saturday 9/11 p3

See related: CHILD ENDOWMENT - THE DOLLARS AND SENSE OF INVESTING IN INFANTS
Human capital together with a rise in welfare-dependent youth have focused attention on early childhood support services. According to Fiona Stanley, chief executive of the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth except for life expectancy, every other indicator for children and youth is getting worse. There has been a huge increase in welfare-dependent youth here in Australia. Charles Murray of the American Enterprise Institute says underclass denotes a population cut off from mainstream life - without productive family, work, and community. It isn't unmet physical needs, that distinguish this group, but poverty in social networks and valued roles. Research shows that many of the biggest social problems - health, crime, drugs, school failure - are rooted in the early years of a child's life. A 1998 study by the RAND Corporation found that for every $1 invested in the early development of infants and young children, there is a $7 return.
Australian Financial Review Observer Saturday 9/11 p48

National Rural Health Alliance E-forum - 8 November 2002
In this issue:
* Last Chance for Aged Care Professional Development Scholarships
* Maternity Care in the Bush Website and Remote Links Forum
* Regional Telecommunications Inquiry
* Rural Doctors Work Longer Hours
* Extracts from ABC Health-Updates
* ALGA State of the Regions Report
* 7th National Rural Health Conference
* Contribution and subscription information and disclaimer.
View Eforum.

This message is intended for subscribers to the AICAFMHA News list. Please forward relevant information to your networks as appropriate. If you have received this message in error, please notify secretary@aicafmha.net.au.

Information included in this message has been obtained from a range of sources. AICAFMHA takes no responsibility for the accuracy of the information provided. Views expressed in this message are not necessarily the views of AICAFMHA.

If you wish to submit information for publication in this digest, please forward details to secretary@aicafmha.net.au.

You can subscribe to this list by sending a message to news-request@www.aicafmha.net.au with "subscribe" in the message body.